Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American distribution rights for writer/director Juan Martinez Vera’s Spiked, produced by Per Melita. Aidan Quinn, Deirdre Lovejoy, Carlos Gomez, Danay Garcia, Wendy Makkena, Lovensky Jean-Baptiste, Walter Belenky, with Sal Lopez, and Christopher Rich star in this indie feature drama. Joe Soldwedel and Brett Soldwedel serve as executive producers.
On March 26, 2021, Gravitas will launch Spiked across multiple VOD platforms, including Amazon Prime, Apple iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Vimeo, Gravitas Movies, and release on SVOD platforms to follow later this year.
Spiked is a dramatic story rooted in the injustices that immigrant workers experience along the U.S./Mexico border. Principal photography on the indie feature was completed in 2019 on location in and around southern Arizona. The filmmakers enlisted renowned casting director Avy Kaufman (notable for her work with filmmakers such as directors Steven Spielberg, Ang Lee, and M Night Shyamalan) to cast the project.
The film tells the story of the murder of an immigrant worker which shakes a southwest border town to its core. A feud between a newspaper owner and the local police chief leads to the blurring of the truth and a dirty fight for justice. Spiked follows John Wilson, a newspaper publisher in a small US/Mexico border town who denounces the abuse of power by local law enforcement. John has been at it for years and has made more than a few enemies and stepped on more than a few toes. Following the killing of an immigrant worker, an incident that the police are unwilling to do anything about, the newspaper publisher and his team take on the plight of the family and of the community to find those responsible and bring them to justice. At every turn, his efforts are thwarted by an uncooperative police chief who seems to have her own agenda. Matters escalate when John succumbs to a mysterious illness that threatens his life and his investigation.
“Anchored by an outstanding performance by Aidan Quinn, Juan’s film integrates issues around immigration, law enforcement, and journalistic integrity into a compelling real life narrative. We look forward to presenting this timely film to North American audiences,” said Tony Piantedosi, Vice President of Acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures.
Juan Martinez Vera said, “Spiked follows the personal stories of characters along the border and how their lives collide when they attempt to fight for justice. I was inspired to write and direct this project after hearing real life stories of immigrants suffering abuse of power from law enforcement agencies some 20 years ago and incredibly moved by how relevant these stories are today as immigrant families continue to grapple with inhuman and unjust treatment. I’m thrilled that Gravitas will bring this film to audiences in the U.S., while we look toward announcing plans for distribution throughout Latin American and other markets.”
Gravitas Ventures Vice President of Acquisitions, Tony Piantedosi, negotiated the deal with Jeff Cooper at Cut Entertainment Group.